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€5,300 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2026 PokerStars EPT Monte-Carlo
€5,300 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
2026 PokerStars EPT Monte-Carlo
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
Buy-in
€5,300
Prize Pool
€4,903,350
Total Entries
1,011
Level
32
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
374
Players Left
111
Players Left 1 / 1,011
Filter
Level 10
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
With the sun set on another day on the French Riviera, Day 1a of the €5,300 Main Event at the PokerStars European Poker Tour in Monte-Carlo has come to a close.
As expected, a wave of players made their way to Sporting Monte-Carlo to take their seats at one of the tour’s most prestigious stops. In total, the first of two starting flights attracted 374 entries, generating a prize pool that currently stands at €2,192,200, and after ten levels of play, 111 of those players bagged chips and progressed to Day 2.
No stranger to the big stage, it is Mehdi Chaoui who leads the way. Having late-registered, the accomplished high roller went about his business in typical nonchalant fashion, building a commanding stack of 357,000.
Already atop Morocco’s all-time money list on The Hendon Mob, he will begin Day 2 with a mammoth 238 big blinds.
The chasing pack are tightly bunched, but completing the podium are Jose Malpelli of France, who finished the flight with 263,000, and Brazil's Leonardo Pires, who bagged 243,000.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mehdi Chaoui | Morocco | 357,000 | 238 |
| 2 | Jose Malpelli | France | 263,000 | 175 |
| 3 | Leonardo Pires | Brazil | 243,000 | 162 |
| 4 | Florian Ribouchon | France | 210,500 | 140 |
| 5 | Andrei Shmakov | Russian Federation | 206,500 | 138 |
| 6 | Laurent Polito | France | 204,000 | 136 |
| 7 | Stanislau Shylkou | Belarus | 199,000 | 133 |
| 8 | Ravi Sheth | United Kingdom | 191,000 | 127 |
| 9 | Juha Helppi | Finland | 188,500 | 126 |
| 10 | Hamza Nasir | United Kingdom | 187,000 | 125 |
Further down the chip counts, heavy hitters such as Juha Helppi (188,500), Espen Jorstad (172,000), Roberto Romanello (146,000), Adrian Mateos (112,500) and Zdenek Zizka (107,500) all ensured that they will be in the mix when the chips are emptied onto the felt for Day 2.
Reigning champion Aleksandr Shevliakov (104,000) also progressed, while Elias Gutierrez (68,000) was the sole survivor from PokerStars Team Pro.
Not all who entered enjoyed the same success, as players such as Rania Nasreddine, Kenny Hallaert, Maria Konnikova, Ole Schemion and Ben Heath can attest. All of whom fell short of putting chips into a bag.
All hope is not lost, however, as each player is allowed one reentry, which they can use any time up until cards are in the air for Day 2.
Day 1b provides the next opportunity to join the field, getting underway at noon local time on Tuesday, May 5th.
EPT Monte-Carlo Remaining Schedule
| Day | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1b | May 5 | 12pm |
| Day 2 | May 6 | 12pm |
| Day 3 | May 7 | 12pm |
| Day 4 | May 8 | 12pm |
| Day 5 | May 9 | 12pm |
| Day 6 | May 10 | 12:30pm |
Day 1b will feature ten hour-long levels, with a 75-minute dinner break scheduled at the end of Level 6.
Players will start with a 30,000 stack, with blinds starting at 100/100 and a 100 big blind ante.
Be sure to tune into PokerNews where you will find live coverage of all the major moments until an EPT Monte-Carlo Champion is crowned.
Level 10
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Level 10
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Day 1a of EPT Monte-Carlo has come to a close, with 110 of the 373 entrants advancing to Day 2.
Stay tuned for the full chip counts and a recap of today's action.
Level 10
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Vidar Oie opened to 2,500 from under the gun, which Ravi Sheth called in middle position. A couple of seats to Sheth's left, Francois Pradervand put in a three-bet to 5,500. Oie responded by moving all in for roughly 40,000, and Sheth followed suit, moving all in himself, having both players covered. A pained Pradervand took a few moments before mucking his cards.
Vidar Oie: 9♠9♣ 
Ravi Sheth: A♥K♠
The 3♣2♠4♦ provided Sheth a straight draw, which completed on the 5♠ turn.
Oie was left drawing to a chop, but the 8♣ river was unforthcoming, seeing him eliminated and Sheth increase his table chip lead.
Level 10
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
The tournament clock has been paused, and the remaining players will play three more hands before the survivors bag for Day 2.
Level 10
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Level 10
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Charles La Boissonniere kicked the action off with a raise to 2,500 from under the gun, which Julien Sitbon called before action folded to Jesse Yaginuma in the small blind. Yaginuma opted to move all in for 29,500, to which La Boissonniere responded with an all-in of his own, covering Sitbon behind him.
Sitbon went deep into the tank, ultimately electing to return his cards to the dealer.
Jesse Yaginuma: 10♠10♥
Charles La Boissonniere: A♦K♠
Sitbon made the table aware that he had folded pocket jacks, which stung even more when the dealer provided a Q♠A♣8♦J♣8♠ board.
While Sitbon was left to think about what could have been, La Boissonniere scooped in the pot, and Yaginuma was eliminated.
Level 10
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
With a raise to 2,400 ahead of him, Espen Jorstad opted to call in the small blind. Conor Bergin responded from the big blind with a raise to 9,600. The original raiser folded, but Jorstad called.
The dealer spread a 3♣5♦8♦ flop, Jorstad checked, Bergin continued for 12,000, and Jorstad called.
Jorstad checked for a second time on the J♠ turn, this time surrendering to a bet of 27,000.
Level 10
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Mark Teltscher raised to 2,500 on the button, which only Dietrich Fast called in the big blind.
The dealer spread a connected 9♣8♣Q♦ flop, and Fast checked before calling a continuation bet of 3,000.
Both players checked on the 5♠ turn, seeing the flush-completing 4♣ hit the river.
Fast opted to lead out, putting 20,000 into the middle. That was enough to cover the stack of Teltscher, who wasted no time in folding.
